The following descriptions and examples are not admitted to be prior art by virtue of their inclusion in this section.
Hydrocarbon fluids, such as oil and natural gas, are obtained from a subterranean geologic formation, referred to as a reservoir, by drilling a well that penetrates the hydrocarbon-bearing formation. To optimize production of desired fluids from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, well completion systems are installed to monitor downhole conditions and to manipulate and/or communicate with various components. The well completion systems comprise instrumentation and control lines to facilitate the monitoring of and control over the various well components. However, the conditions downhole present many challenges to successfully completing and communicating with well system components. Typically, the wellbore presents a high pressure environment coupled with a caustic and corrosive chemical mix that attacks components and continually seeks pathways for migration.
The potential problem of unwanted migration of fluids continues in the case of a plugged and cemented well. The presence of downhole instrumentation cables and/or other communication lines can increase the risk of fluid migrating up the wellbore and past the cement plugs by providing a potential migration pathway along the communication lines. The fluid migration may take at least two forms: fluid migration outside the cable, and fluid migration inside the cable. Regarding fluid migration outside the cable, insufficient fluid removal around the cable during the cementing process may establish a preferred path for fluid leakage. Furthermore, damage to the cable below the plug can result in fluid entering into and migrating along the interior of the cable. A system is needed to help ensure the integrity of a communication line, e.g. cable or conduit, with respect to a surrounding cement plug.